Adjustment and Its Association with Demographic and Clinical Factors among Iranian Population with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The First Native Diabetes Adjustment Assessment Scale

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide. Middle Eastern countries will be confronting an im-mense increase in the number of diabetes mellitus cases by 2030. Living with diabetes mellitus has been characterized as a dynamic individual transitive adjustment, based on restructuring of the illness perceived experience and management of the self. Adjustment with type 2 diabetes mellitus is an integral part of diabetes care. The present study aimed to determine the adjustment level and its relationship with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of diabetes. In this descriptive-correlational study, 800 diabetic patients in diabetes clinics and Iranian diabetes association in the northwest of Iran participated using a convenient sampling method. The data collection tool consisted of Diabetes Adjustment Assessment Scale (DAAS). Data analysis was performed using SPSS11 statistical software. The total score of DAAS was 166.24 ± 23.88 from a possible score between 43 and 215. The diabetic participants believed that they had a moderate level of adjustment with diabetes. The study showed a significant relationship between adjustment and some demographic and clinical characteristics; there-fore, the necessity of health promotion interventions based on adjustment theories was inevitable.